Not a great display of brotherly love

I had asked the boys to hug one another as they were starting to show signs of wanting too and this is definitely not my idea of brotherly love. Connor is always the victim in these exchanges as Jackson is over the top, at times and as you can see --- relentless.

introducing Connor Patrick, MD

Jackson had a really high fever over the weekend and it eventually turned into an ear infection. Our pediatrician cautioned us that Connor would most likely develop similar symptoms and that we should be checking his temperature along with Jackson's to make sure it stayed down. Without missing a beat, Connor found their thermometer and kept insisting on taking his own temperature along with Jackson's, which wasn't very well received.

He was so supportive during Jackson's round of antibiotics that he would cry if he didn't get any medicine. We would give him small doses of the acetaminophen to keep his fever, which did show up down. It didn't get as high as his brother but it was a good thing we had our little doctor available for consults.

Big boys sit at the table for a second..or two.

Jackson has learned how to get into a chair and sit down all by himself. He is so proud of himself. I had walked into the kitchen and found him sitting at the table drinking his milk cup. When I asked him how he did it after helping him to the ground, he gladly obliged me and I was able to get him in action. There are obviously pluses and minuses to this new found discovery. We have to be super careful about what is left out on the table since they could reach a lot before but now just about EVERYTHING can be in their reach.









P.S. After watching Jackson for about a week or so, Connor was able to take a seat in a chair as well. He chose the chair that was underneath the dimmer switch for our chandelier. It gets better and better...

Don't worry mom, we get free long distance calls, right??

But, for some reason, this annoying voice keeps on asking me if I would like to make a call. Yes please. And that I have to hang up and please try again. So, I guess I will just try again and again and again.

That soccer ball never had a chance with a teething toddler

Both Jackson and Connor have shown more excitement for balls and we picked up a trio of balls for them while shopping for a birthday gift. I expected that they would have had a lot of fun throwing and kicking the balls but apparently the soccer ball was tastier than what anybody could have ever imagined. This is the result of a temper tantrum prior to their nap and me giving in and letting Jackson hold onto the ball.



This helps clarify why Nerf indicates that their products are for ages 3 and up. I guess they realized just how much damage teething toddlers can do!

Diapers, who needs diapers and clothes -- forget about it.

Diaper changes have proven to be more and more difficult. This is something that EVERY mom understands and I have friends that comment on how daring I am to keep changing the boys on the dresser/changing pad.

They generally sit still and are willing participants. And, sometimes, you get the helpful toddler who thinks it is o.k. to take his diaper off or the one that will run away in an effort to escape before his clothes are put on. Always makes for cute pictures, right?!? despite the frustration.

Well you'd be sweating too..

if you just spent the last half-hour vacuuming. This was Michael's response to my query on why Connor was sweating.

Here is a pic of our little helper in action.




I had just pulled down the vacuum and Connor and Jackson have been a little obsessed with it and their John Deere lawnmower. Connor immediately realized he could push the button to turn on the lights and for it to make noise. When the lights went off, I told him and he dropped down to press the button. So cute how quickly they figure things out.

The sweet and the sh** of being a parent to twins

Everybody asks me how life is with twins. I repeatedly answer the question that I wouldn't know what it was like without both boys since they are all that we truly know. Michael and I have spent a lot of time with nieces and nephews but obviously a random sleep over is not the same as being the parent. So, we really do not know what it is like to be a parent to a "singleton."

With that said, things change on a given basis and the boys are oh.so.different and have been since birth that random strangers in the mall and walking in the stroller around our neighborhood immediately notice. Jackson is obviously very charming and fun and full of energy and as I have blogged in prior posts, Connor takes a much more laid-back approach to life with a huge side of sweetness mixed in.

And, just in a span of two days, Michael and I were smacked with the reality of what I will refer to as the "sweet and sh** of being parents to twins."

The sweet starts off at the boys' Hoppin Tots class when the teacher informed everyone in the class that she wouldn't be teaching their last class. She confirmed that there would be someone else and that she really enjoyed spending time with the children and families. Connor must have realized that there was true sorrow in the teacher's voice and waved good bye to her and walked over and put his arms up to offer up a hug. It was absolute melt my, Michael's and anybody that saw it happen's heart.

The next day was Saturday and I went to Target to pick up some items for the house and Michael calls me to relay the sh** storm that he literally just faced with Jackson. Jackson apparently negotiated off his diaper and pooped in the crib. Of course, he couldn't stop there and decided to smear the poop all over the sheet, bumper and spindles on his crib. He wasn't done and threw globs of poop outside the crib onto the floor and their rug. Michael literally walked into a sh** storm. Many parents will complain and I have myself that I have experienced said storm but nothing like what my husband had to initially deal with and me with the continued clean up of sheets, bumpers and mattress covers and the crib.

Life with our twins is all we know and it could happen to anyone else and probably will (hopefully not the sh** storm) but I couldn't imagine at the end of the day/weekend not having an opportunity to share in both experiences. This may sound crazy but I'm kind of upset that I wasn't there to have found Jackson (note: I didn't say to have to clean up the initial storm).

Did she say something..I think I missed it....

There are times when our little toddlers are let's just say not being the best listeners. I know that they are toddlers but it can often become frustrating and I will (on occasion) have to raise my voice. Jackson has started to cover his ears in the hopes that he can always use the excuse that he couldn't hear me. Every time I see it, I let him know that he still can hear me and that what he is doing is not appropriate "big boy" behavior. Somehow, I have managed to create a mystique in his mind of how important it is to exhibit big boy behavior and I'm going to hold on to it as long as I can.

Just doing some light reading of Hop on Pop

(a glimpse into how Connor could and does spend a good portion of his day)

Sweet Meat

EVERY and I mean EVERY time that we go outside to play on the boys' double slide or get in the pool --- a mosquito finds Connor. We went out today to check the pool water as we were waiting for Jackson to get up for his nap. I'm guessing that we were only outside for 10 minutes or so and once we returned, I immediately noticed 3 mosquito bites on his legs. It is as if they have radar and alert all of their friends. The good thing is that he never has a reaction to them. If so, we would be confined to the house. He must have sweet meat or so I think to go along with his sweet personality!

New pool and crazy caterpillar time

The boys have had a love/hate relationship with their plastic pool. It takes Connor a long time to warm up to the idea of the pool. As in, he is finally getting used to the pool when it is time to get out. Jackson spends most of his time getting in and out of the pool. The boys' Aunt came through and we couldn't wait to get them in the pool. Michael actually joined the boys since it was a hot early evening and the boys were in love. Despite Connor's plumber crack, he was super happy to be in the pool. And, when the caterpillar starts waving his arms, you have a serious party in the backyard. Looking forward to the boys being able to spend more and more time in the pool.

For the love of a spotted cow

The boys have several toys in the Fisher Price farm/barn theme. Among those toys is a larger and smaller spotted cow that apparently carries it's weight in toddler love (at least Jackson and Connor's). We have not been able to decipher exactly what it is or why it is so necessary but both Jackson and Connor need to have one of these cows when the animals are dumped out. These cows have led to many a tantrums, including tears and pushing and wrestling to the ground.

Both Michael and I are on "look-out" when the animals are dumped out of their bag to make sure that there is even distribution of the cows or that one boy doesn't get both. And, if that happens (fingers crossed that it is Connor), we have to encourage someone to share the beloved cow. There have been too many tears shed over this that I probably should go out and get another set since nobody but the boys will probably understand the importance of a spotted cow and maybe that is just how it is meant to be. I guess, as parents, we don't need to understand, rather be the referee to make sure that each boy gets their cow.



p.s. Another side to this is that we have another spotted cow but he is a little plumper and is not a considered substitute.

p.s.s. The only thing that I can think of is that Baby MacDonald has a puppet show featuring a horse and a cow and some food and some taking of food. Both boys love watching the puppet shows and give big smiles when this is on and besides the spotted cow, each boy is generally also holding a horse. I think that I may be reaching but it's all I've got ?!?